Thread control mechanism



Oct. 26, 1943. F. A. KUCERA 2,332,920

THREAD CONTROL MECHANISM Filed Aug. 5, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l WITNESSES: INVENTOR;

Z/M% BY from]: flifucera, ATTOR'NEYS. I

Oct. 26, 1943. U A 2,332,920

THREAD CONTROL MECHANISM Filed Aug. 5, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 mill WITNESSES; INVENTOR- f'rank fiI ifucera,

A TTORNEYS.

Patented Oct. 26, 1943 2,332,920 THREAD CONTROL MECHANISM Frank A. Kncera,

Special Machine Compa poration of Illinois Chicago, 111., assignor to Union ny, Chicago, 111., a cor- Application August 3, 1940, Serial No. 350,276 12 Claims. (Cl. 112-242) This invention relates to thread control mechanism useful in connection with textile machines, such, for example, as sewing machines, having plural thread manipulating instrumentalities. More especially, the invention has reference to thread control mechanism operative under the principle disclosed in a copending patent application, Serial No. 348,373, filed on July 30, 1940, by John F. Cahill, administrator for Albert S. Riviere, deceased, wherein the threads, en route from separate sources of supply, travel in positive engaging contact with different portions of the periphery of a freely mounted wheel which is rotated by the pull of one of the threadswith the result that proportionate amounts of the other threads are tolled oil for use by their respective manipulating instrumentalities.

The present invention has for its chief aim to overcome the difllculties encountered, due to the unitary construction of the thread wheel in the arrangement of the aforesaid copending application, in rethreading the machine in the event of yarn breakage. This disadvantage I overcome, as hereinafter more fully disclosed, through provision of individual wheels for the respective threads, and through further provision of drive means by which said wheels are normally coordinated for concurrent rotation, with capacity for being disconnected, however, so that they may be independently rotated for the purpose of ready threading of the machine.

In connection with thread control mechanism organized as above, it is a further aim of my invention to provide for the interchange of the components of the drive means so that the proportionate delivery rate of the threads may be varied in accordance with the characteristics desired in the work produced by the textile machine.

Other objects and attendant advantages will appear from the following description of the attached drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a sewing machine with associatedthread metering mechanism conveniently embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view of the mechanism taken as indicated by the angled arrows II II in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view taken as indicated by the angled arrows III1II in Fig. 2.

For the purposes of exempliflcation herein, I have illustrated my invention in connection with an overedge sewing machine of the type featured in U. S. Patent No. 1,751,508, granted to Norman V. Christensen et al. on'March 25, 1930.

As shown, the frame 5 of this machine has a base 6 from the rear end of which rises a standard 1 having a lateral projection 8 at its top which rocating bar M with a needle II at its lower end. Upstanding from the base 5 at the front end of the machine is a pedestal l2 whereon is mounted a horizontal work supporting plate l3 over which the fabric F to be stitched, is progressed in the direction indicated by the arrows, by suitable feeding means concealed within the base, the work being held down by a presser foot I! in a within the loopers l5 and I 6 are given the requisite motions to form an overedge seam from the needle and the looper threads which are respectively designated by the letters N, L and O The thread control mechanism with which the 1B are shafts 20, 2| and 22 to the outer ends of which circumferentially grooved thread wheels 23, 24 and 25 are secured, said shafts being rouped about another shaft 26 which is free to rotate and which is also shiftable axially in the plate l8. To the inner ends of the shafts 20, 2| and 22 are secured spur pinions 27, 28 and 29 which normally mesh with a. master spur gear 30 affixed to the inner end of .the shaft 26, said pinions and gear being shielded within a recess 3| (Fig. 2) at the back of the plate l8. At its outer end, the shaft 26 has a head 32 between which and the front face of the plate I 8 is interposed a compression spring 33 whereby the master gear 30 is nonnally maintained in meshing engagement with the pinions 21-29.

Projecting laterally from the plate l8 at the right beyond the metering wheels 23-25 is a stud 35 whereon are freely mounted a plurality of tension disks 36 between respective pairs of which subject to the pressure of a helical spring 31 which is regulatable by a. threaded nut 38 on the outer end of the stud 35.

Clamped between the front face of the plate [8 and the shoulder 39 (Fig. 2) of the stud 35, is the shank' 40 of an-angle piece whereof the arm 4| projects forwardly in the interval between the wheel 23 and the tensioning device, and is provided with spaced guide apertures for the threads N, L and O. From the guide 4|, the needle thread N travels directly to the metering wheel 23 about which itis wound one or more times; while on their way to the metering wheels 24 and 25 (about which they are likewise wound one or more times), the looper threads L and O are directed by guides 42 and 43 respectively. As shown, these guides 42 and 43' are secured to the plate l8 at the top and bottom by screws 44 and 45, which prevent the threads L and from fouling the wheel 23. In leaving the metering wheels 23 and 24, the threads N and L pass to a guide 46 secured to the front end of the plate l8 at the center. From the guide 43 the needle thread N passes first to a fixed guide 41 on the machine frame, then to a take up 48 on the needle bar It), then to another fixed guide 49 on the machine frame, and finally to the eye of the needle. The thread L on the other hand, passes to a fixed guide 50 at the lower left hand corner of the plate l8 to which latter guide the over edge looper thread 0 also passes direct as it leaves the wheel 25. Continuing on from the guide 50, the looper threads L and 0 pass together, first to a fixed guide on the machine frame, and then to another fixed guide 52. As shown, this guide 52 has spaced eyes 53 and 54 in the interval between which a take up 55 acts upon both the .threads L and 0. On its way from the guide ear 54, the thread L under travels a guide finger 56; while the thread 0 passes direct to the over edge looper IS.

The operation of the thread control mechanism is as follows: Due to the fact that the metering wheels 23-25 are intergeared, they will be concurrently rotated by the pull of one of the threads, with attendant tolling oil of definite amounts of the other threads, the delivery proportioning depending, in the illustrated instance, upon the relative ratios of the ears since said metering wheels are all of the same diameter. With pinions 28 and 29 of like size and the pinion 21 twice the diameter of the others as shown in Fig. 3, the delivery ratio as between the looper threads L and O and the needle thread N will be in the proportion of two toone. By substituting either metering wheels or gears of different diameters, it will be evident that the apportionment ofvthe threads can be made to suit any special requirements of practice, depending on the characteristics desired in the seam produced in the machine. As shown, the metering wheels are detachably secured to their respective shafts by set screws, and the recess 3| in the rear of the supporting plate I8 is amply large, so that interchanges or substitutions for the above purpose, can be easily and quickly made.

Displacement of the gear wheel 30 to the position in which it is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 in opposition to the spring 33, will result in the release of the wheels 23, 24and 25 for free rotation to facilitate initial threading of the device as well as rethreading in the event of subsequent thread rupture.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: '1. Thread control mechanism for a textile machine with a group of cooperative instrumentalities for concatenating as many individual threads in the production of a single seam, comprising a plurality of wheels with which the respective talities, and means connecting the wheels for concurrent rotation under the pull of one of the threads.

2. Thread control mechanism for a textile machine with agroup of cooperative instrumentalities for concatenating as many individual threads in the production of a single seam, comprising a plurality of wheels with which the respective threads have peripheral contact for positive control thereof en route to the respective instrumentalities, means connecting the wheels for concurrent rotation under the pull of one of the threads, and means whereby the wheels may be disconnected to facilitate threading.

3. Thread control mechanism for a textile machine with a group of cooperative instrumentalities for concatenating as many individual threads in the production ofa single seam. comprising a plurality of wheels around which the respective threads are passed en route to the respective instrumentalities; and drive means connecting i the Wheels for concurrent diiferential rotation under the pull of one of the threads.

4. Thread control mechanism for a textile machine with a group of cooperative instrumentalities for concatenating as many individual threads in the production of a single seam, comprising a plurality of wheels around which the respective threads are passed en route to the respective instrumentalities; separate axes on which the wheels are mounted; and drive means connecting the wheels for concurrent rotation under the pull of one of the threads.

5. Thread control mechanism for a textile machine with a group of cooperative instrumentalities for concatenating as many individual threads in the production of a single seam, comprising a plurality of wheel around which the respective threads are passed en route to the respective instrumentalities; and a group of intermeshing gears connecting the wheels for concurrent rotation under the pull of one of the threads.

6. Thread control mechanism for a textile machine with a group of cooperative instrumentalities for concatenating as many individual .threads in the production of a single seam, comwhich the wheels are mounted; and drive means connecting the wheels for concurrent rotation under the pull of one of the threads including spur pinions respectively secured to the wheel shafts, and an intermeshing master gear common to the several pinions.

'7. Thread control mechanism for a textile machine with a group of cooperative instrumentalities for concatenating as many individual threads in the production of a single seam, comprising a plurality of wheels around which the respective threads are passed en route to the respective instrumentalities; separate shafts on which the wheels are mounted; and drive means connecting the wheels for concurrent rotation under the pull of one of the threads including spur pinions respectively secured to the wheel shafts, and an intermeshing master gear common to the several pinions; and means whereby the master gear and the pinions may be disengaged so that the wheels may be individually turned for convenience of initially threading the machine as well as of rethreading in the event of subsequent thread rupture.

8. Thread control mechanism for a textile machine with a group of cooperative instrumentalities for concatenating as many individual threads in the production of a single seam, comprising a plurality of wheels around which the respective threads are passed en route to the respective instrumentalities; separate shafts on of subsequent thread rupture.

9. Thread control mechanism for a textile machine with a group of cooperative instrumentalities for concatenating as many individual threads in the production of a single seam, comprising a plurality of wheels around which the respective threads are passed en route to the respective instrumentalities; separate shafts on which the wheels are mounted; drive means connecting the wheels for concurrent rotation under the pull of one of the threads, including spur pinions respectively secured to the wheel shafts, and an intermeshing master gear common to the several pinions; a shaft for the master gear; and a common support in which the wheel shafts and the master gear shaft are journalled, said master gear shaft being axially shiftable in the support to disengage the gear from the pinions so that the wheels may be individually turned for convenience of initial threading of the machine as well as of rethreading in the event of subsequent thread rupture.

10. Thread control mechanism for a textile machine with a group of cooperative instrumentalities for concatenating as many individual threads in the production of a single seam, comprising a plurality of wheels around which the respective threads are passed en route to the taining the master necting the wheels forconcurrent rotation under the pull of one of the threads, including spur pinions respectively secured to the wheel shafts, and an intermeshing master gear common to the several pinions; a shaft for the master gear; a common support in which the wheel shafts and themaster gear shaft are journalled, said master gear shaft being axially shiftable in the support to disengage the gear from the pinions so that the wheels may be individually turned for convenience of initial threading of the machine as well as of rethreading in the event of subsequent thread rupture; and yielding means for maingear normally in mesh with the pinions.

11. Thread control mechanism for a. textile machine with a group of cooperative instrumentalities for concatenating as many individual threads in the production of a single seam, comprising a plurality of wheels around which the respective threads are passed en route to the respective instrumentalities; drive means connecting the wheels for concurrent rotation under the pull of one of the ,threads; and means in advance of the thread wheels in the direction of thread travel for tensioning the individual threads.

- 12. Thread control mechanism for a textile machine with a group of cooperative instrumentalities for concatenating as many individual threads in the production of a single seam, comprising a plurality of wheels around which the respective threads are passed on route to the respective instrumentalities; separate shafts on' which the wheels are mounted; drive means connecting the wheels for concurrent rotation under the pull of one of the threads, including spur pinions respectively secured to the wheel shafts, and an intermeshing master gear common to the several pinions; a shaft for the master gear;

- a common support in which the wheel shafts and respective instrumentalities; separate shafts on which the wheels are mounted; drive means conthe master gear shaft are journalled; and means on the support in advance of the thread wheels in the direction of thread travel for tensioning the individual threads.

- FRANK a mom." 

